Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing

Traveled down to Huntington Beach this last Sunday to watch the final day of the competition. I had never seen pro surfing live and found a good spot on the pier to snap some shots. These guys make it look easy but it isn't. By Sunday the high surf advisories were over but there were still some big sets coming in early before noon. The final was at 12:40pm and by then, the swells had died out. My first time surfing was more like getting my ass beat by a drill instructor than having any fun. It's hard work man! But, playing in the Sea is like starting over. It clears the mind.

4th of July, 2009 "Windy Point" Big Bear Lake, Ca

Oh man I got skunked this year. No trout for me. For the last three years I been going earlier in the season-April or May. It's cooler and makes for better trout fishing. The only fish I saw hooked were all Carp. No thanks. But, turned out I was in a prime spot to see the fireworks so I reeled in my lines and watched the show. Took a few pictures too.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

The art of discipline.

It is an art form. The process of learning and developing a specialty skill to a professional level beyond innate talent takes an enormous amount of self-sacrifice, courage (blind or learned), determination, persistence, guidance and confidence (again, blind or learned). Just to name a few. These are not things you ponder in this way when riding the rail, but your mind and body are processing them all and interpreting the course of action. Fight or flight eventually is going to play a role in your quest and it is usually the place where the debutant will get off the rail and the obsessed folks who decide failure is not an option hang on for dear life.

It isn't my problem to be sympathetic towards parents that never took the time or effort to achieve anything other than kids. I know raising kids and keeping a family together is a difficult task. I'm terrified of it. Parents are always tired, manic, highly opinionated, protective, worried about finances, the kids future, the mortgage-often become unreasonable and confrontational about their children and begin a war path that I have yet to be interested in. Course not all parents act this way, and the different approaches to parenting probably out number the amount of parents actually calculating how to parent correctly because after all, each parent is more likely to see their own way to do things and try to keep it all in the family in the way they see fit.

All fine and dandy. Congratulations.

But in all honesty, I don't see parenting kids as the final all encompassing challenge that therefore "makes" a responsible and respectable adult. I know too many parents that act worse than teens. The sense of entitlement to me is rediculous. I know for myself that living life everyday chasing dreams and struggling to keep a balance can be every bit as crushing and exhausting as what I see parents going through. It may not make sense to parents anymore while their parenting, but that's because of the sense of entitlement I just mentioned; "well we have to work AND raise kids, we don't have time to do the things people without kids can do!"
-Yes, I'll buy that. I see it. I watch my sister and her husband go through it. But does this mean that the rest of us are lazy asses lying around enjoying all the free time life supposedly rewards you with when your not a parent?

You know what?

Fuck you and the stroller your pushing.

Backstage Pass-no rock stars needed.

Last weekend I had the fortunate experience of getting a private backstage/behind the scenes tour of Walt Disney Concert Hall. I made a huge mistake by not taking my camera. I felt certain that I would not be allowed to take any photos, and for some of the tour I know I would not have been allowed to photograph anything-but there were opportunities to snap some great shots on the stage/conductors podium. I think I can get another tour though. There is original art work from Fantasia backstage that the public has never seen. Not to mention a music library that to me is a gold mine worth more than any amount of money some rich fucker could ever acquire. I am always in awe of the concert music world. If I really do get the opportunity to work for the LA Phil, I will be floored with pride and a sense of accomplishment. Nothing I have done with my musical life so far could be as fullfilling as working with such talent.

The best part, they only hire union musicians. Why would a class act like the LA Phil need to do otherwise? Yep, I'd do backflips for them.

Cinnamon Basil

Click this title - Sippican Cottage: Spring Potatoes (From 2007)

I find this to be a brilliant little piece of life lesson.

Persistence.

Cinnamon Basil growing in this years herb garden.

Since I was a young'n I always had a green thumb for gardening. If there was space, and my mom was travelling to the local nursery to find plants-I went along to hit up the seed stand to pick out which vegetables I wanted to grow. I remember planting, growing, and harvesting my own carrots, corn, onions, radish, and tomato. I thought it fascinating that I could plant those seeds, water them, and a few months later be pulling fresh food from the ground. How cool is that? And, for someone as highly impatient as I am-gardening commands patience. Like it or not. That's therapy for me. Good things can come with patience.

Spring

Dogs

Well I froze up over the weekend.

For the last 13-14 years I have been living life with german shepherds. Raising 2 of them and living with them as adolescent dogs was anything but easy. They actually are an enormous amount of work and a huge emotional investment. My 1st shepherd died at 13yrs on Oct 6th, 2007. As my 2nd german shepherd approaches 14, her eyes become more and more tired as the days go by. I am silently panicking a bit. Losing both dogs-I knew the day would come, but I've always been afraid to face it. This is the end of one of my own personal eras in life. When I rescued them my life was completely different. That part of my life is now forever gone and can never be replaced. I had the opportunity to rescue a beautiful all black shepherd this weekend-I froze up and let someone else adopt him. It wasn't what I really wanted to do and I feel sad about it. A beautiful wolf mix I had applied for weeks ago became available also, and I wanted him pretty badly too, but I'm frozen. Maybe I need a break from dogs, but I don't feel it's for the right reasons. I feel I am just allowing myself to become lazy and unattached to anything.

For that there are no rewards.